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The Wallabies are optimistic of fielding a full-strength line-up for their World Cup final against defending champions New Zealand, having escaped their bruising semi-final win over Argentina intact.
Influential pair David Pocock (calf) and Israel Folau (ankle) took injuries into the 29-15 victory at Twickenham on Monday morning (AEDT), but coach Michael Cheika gave encouraging reports about the star duo, as well as injured prop Scott Sio.
Folau looked out of sorts against Los Pumas and played just 60 minutes before coming off after appearing to be hurt in a tackle, but Cheika insisted that was always going to be the case.
The coach said the initial plan was the same for Pocock, though the tireless back rower completed a full 80-minute shift after injuries to other forwards - including workaholic number six Scott Fardy, who has a painful hip injury but is also ready to back up against the All Blacks.
Cheika was also positive about the progress loosehead prop Sio was making from the elbow injury that kept him out of the semi-final, while even winger Rob Horne, whose shoulder injury suffered in the pool stages nearly forced him on a flight home, is also very much in contention.
Sio's injury is to his right elbow, which he uses to bind with hooker and captain Stephen Moore, and it is believed he will be able to play through the pain as long as there is enough strength left in the wing to properly bind the scrum.
But the wily coach was cautiously optimistic of being able to call on the young buck Sio.
"We wanted to give him the opportunity to be right, even for last week, we were seeing how he went (and) if he got the movement back in his elbow," Cheika said.
"He just had a lot of blood in there. There's no ligament damage or anything.
"He needs it for binding and scrummaging, (and) it's subsiding pretty quickly now so we're feeling pretty good about his chances of playing."
If Sio does not have the strength to bind properly, Cheika would be better off sticking with the experienced James Slipper in the number one jersey.
The Queensland skipper had a difficult game against Argentina and conceded three scrum penalties, but Sio was similarly dominated in the quarter-final against Scotland.
As he has been throughout the tournament, 33-year-old centre Matt Giteau was a sore and sorry figure at training after another gruelling encounter, but is not believed to be in doubt to face the All Blacks in his second World Cup final.
He left Monday's win shortly after half-time with a groin complaint, having previously battled a rib injury, but the veteran has simply been putting the bumps and bruises down to old age.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-10-2...?section=sport
old age my arse!
he's bloody 33.
It did look like a bruising encounter, and they all looked knackered at the end.
i hope they can recover in time for the blicks.
Did you see the shiner on the Argentinian during the interviews? Looked like someone had glued half a tennis ball on his cheek
Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon
Anyone know of a sports at with big screen likely to show the final in Camden/chalk Farm - or possibly within tube distance in London? There will be. Fan Zone screening apparently in Trafalgar Square, but a limited no of feral Kiwis nearby is preferable. Any suggestions?
Riley's Sports Bar on Haymarket - easy tube ride down on the Northern Line and walk across Trafalga Sq from Charing Cross Station or you could walk from Leicester Square Station
http://www.rileyssportsbars.co.uk/cl...haymarket/find
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So who else will be at Twickenham this Saturday?
Getting excited!
Just read your feral Kiwi comment - Rileys will have a large number of blick jerseys, but I think you'll find that any where and I'm sure there will be as many in green and gold ..
I think the boys can do the job - if.......
1. They bring their A game. Anything less and they are done.
2. Switch on from the get go. Don't think they can chase them down if they get off to a flier.
3. They tighten up the middle channels. The Argies found too many holes there which were only saved by some great scrambling. Hansen will be on to that one.
4. Foley gets his kicking Mojo back.
5. Folau is fit and regains form.
6. Sio plays. Though I don't think Slipper will get such a towelling against the Blicks if it comes to it.
7. The Welsh git adjudicates the ruck evenly.
8. 6 brutal games in 6 weeks doesn't see them fade after half time. They got the wobbles there the last two weeks and won. They won't if it happens again this time.
Apart from those conditions, it'll be a walk in the park.![]()
"The main difference between playing League and Union is that now I get my hangovers on Monday instead of Sunday - Tom David
Yep it's down to number 8 I think Shasta! They will have to play the full 80 at 100% or the Un Dead will pounce!
May the FORCE be with you!
Yep. I was at the '91 RWC final at Twickenham supporting Australia - along with almost all other non-English supporters. I'm pretty sure the Wallabies were underdogs going into that final, but they had Campese "getting into the English heads" in the week leading up to the final. Seemed to work though....!
p.s. Have gathered up my toys and brought them back into my pram...??
Eddie's opinion http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-10-2...ld-cup/6891512
Genia's been good, but I disagree with him - our back three have been outstanding and will match it with Richie and co. Look for the Blicks holding onto Pocock/Fardy.. at the breakdown to slow them down a bit. Let's hope Pocock has another huge 80 minutes in him as he looked like he'd been sparing practice for Danny Green after the last effort..
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